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Thinkin' about sellin' out

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I'm condiersing selling all of my stuff. And by all, I mean almost everything. I've got too much stuff in different areas of interest and for "one day". I've got some other stuff that has increased in value a good bit too. I was thinking selling everything, finishing the Javelin, drive a bit and sell that too. There is this black Z4 M coupe in town....and then sell that after a while. I like having my stuff but a good bit just sits there doing nothing. Too much for her to deal with should something happen as well. I'm afraid once I sell everything I'll just start collecting again.
 
All of this sounds WAY to similar to my stuff. Some days I want to sell it all, some days I want to keep it all. I am working on organizing all my stuff, Then I hope to unload one "group" at a time. As an example I used to collect oil lamps, I have not bought any new ones in a long time. Other than 1 or 2 display pieces, all the rest should go. I have had so many different areas of interest that I look around and wonder who carried all the crap into the house!
 
I am very much in the "sell it all" mode these days - part of new years I suspect. That said I am also aware of how much stress "stuff" brings to my life. so, go for it!
 
Seems to me that often stuff gets in the way of doin stuff. Now if you like to do stuff to or with stuff then you need that stuff, but if you have to deal with stuff to get to that stuff then you got too much stuff. :D
 
Which reminds me of George Carlin and his stuff! A bit too risque' for here...
 
kellysguy said:
I'm condiersing selling all of my stuff. And by all, I mean almost everything. I've got too much stuff in different areas of interest and for "one day".
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Bit of a long winded answer, so bear with me...

A couple years ago someone sent me a link to a TED talk by a guy named Barry Schwartz called The Paradox of Choice. Found it interesting enough to pick up the book. One of the reasons I liked it is that it's not a self help book, it's a scientific book about what happens and how we react to a huge range of choices.

So after reading that book and thinking about it for a while, I decided to try a bit of a personal, long term experiment. I made a list of all the things that I do, and I mean *everything*. Hobbies, work, passions, etc. Was a surprisingly long list.

Now for the experiment part -- I ruthlessly went down that list and identified things that were not critical for me, and got rid of them. Gave away my skis, beer brewing stuff, target shooting stuff. Instituted a hard limit of one old car and one modern motorcycle. Gave myself one year with the limited activity list to see how I would fare.

I've never been happier.

With less stuff/activities pulling at me, I can enjoy the remaining ones much deeper and fuller. Now I snowshoe in the winter if I want to get out. I've only got one old car to put time and resources into. Allowed me to build my barn smaller so I could pay cash and not have to have debt hanging over me.

After that first year the downsizing has continued. It's not like I have a small amount of stuff by world standards, but my limited activity list has kept things modest. I hike/snowshoe, camp, enjoy the MGB, and play music. Add in a day job and family and I'm content.

Our stuff can easily own us. It is, after all, just stuff. Control the stuff and you'll be happier for it.

Wish I were closer, would love to swing over with a beverage of choice and have a long chat about this -- it's a topic near and dear to my heart.
 
Our stuff is what we do. We enjoy our cars and that is our hobby. As to accumulating stuff, we've done that but it is all organized and usable when we want it. There is a rule in our home that says you can't bring something in unless you have a place for it and if there is no place or you can't get rid of one thing for a new thing then you just don't get it! Perhaps we'll change our minds someday about 'stuff' but in the meanwhile we will just enjoy it.

If you are overwhelmed by your stuff, then you need to get rid of it. Stuff should make you smile not make you feel bad.
 
My biggest problem is that I will never (as in ever) be able to replace some of these things in the future. While I hardly ever use them and using them can get expensive, I do like them and they may come in handy one day.
 
Ya know Billy...I was thinking the same thing about my wife...
 


I play this song all the time

Cheers

Mark
 
DNK said:
Ya know Billy...I was thinking the same thing about my wife...
Click to expand...

I read some of this stuff to my wife. I want to thank you for making me look almost good.
 
kellysguy said:
My biggest problem is that I will never (as in ever) be able to replace some of these things in the future. While I hardly ever use them and using them can get expensive, I do like them and they may come in handy one day.
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Getting rid of things can be difficult. I have certainly struggled with some of them. When I sold my last FJ40 Land Cruiser it was with the realization that I won't have another one. Ever. Those kind of decisions are tough, but ultimately freeing.

I look at it this way... if you don't have Jay Leno levels of resources, you have to choose what you spend your time and money on. Sometimes that means you turn away from things you like to be able to do the things you love. I put the question to myself this way: do I want to *have* or do I want to *do*. Doing beats having every time.
 
Yeah Drew I understand that, however; I believe a man (read me) needs to have certain things at his disposal should the occation arrise. Problem is, I've got stuff for all kinda things. I may never "one day" do anything but hate to part with stuff. The TR6 I have here for example. While I'd love to do something with it, I know I never will....although I should after I sell the Javelin. I guess I can get rid of all the other crap I have laying aorund first.
 
My name is Willie and I have an addiction.
 
kellysguy said:
Yeah Drew I understand that, however; I believe a man (read me) needs to have certain things at his disposal should the occation arrise. Problem is, I've got stuff for all kinda things. I may never "one day" do anything but hate to part with stuff.
Click to expand...
This is always a very personal decision. A question to ask yourself is what is the "cost" to keeping that stuff. Is it keeping you from doing other things? Is it weighing on your mind and stopping you from enjoying what you are doing now? Cost is more than just the dollars involved.

Everyone has a different answer to those questions. A good friend of mine has dozens of hobby projects -- in all honesty most will never be completed or even worked on again. His house has piles of them. He's perfectly happy with that situation, while it would drive me mad. I would be bordering on clinical depression if forced to live like that (and you would have to force me), while he really enjoys it.

You have to find that balance point. I don't know your full situation, but given that you've asked this question I'd guess your current situation is a bit more than you'd ideally want. So start with a few easy things that you can remove from your life and see how that goes.
 
I would like to get rid of some stuff except I don't know what I want to start with. Do I get rid of my rc cars(gas and electric) my scalextric, my woodworking stuff? I already threw out my beer and wine making equipment and I would hate to think that if I got rid of anything that I would have to go and buy it again if I decided to start anything again. ggrrrr
 
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